Clients use TSM to store data for any of the following purposes:
The process of moving the client file to server storage is also called migration.
TSM policy governs how the client data is stored and managed. Administrators define policy by defining policy domains, policy sets, management classes, and backup and archive copy groups. When you install TSM, you have a policy that consists of a policy domain named STANDARD. The STANDARD policy domain contains a policy set, a management class, a backup copy group, and an archive copy group, all named STANDARD. For information about this default policy, see Using the Standard Policy.
Figure 2 shows how policy is part of the TSM process for storing client data. The steps in the process are as follows:
(1) A client initiates a backup, archive, or migration operation. The file involved in the operation is bound to a management class. The management class is either the default or one specified for the file in the client's include-exclude list.
(2) If the file is a candidate for backup, archive, or migration based on information in the management class, the client sends the file and file information to the server.
(3) The server checks the management class that is bound to the file to determine the storage destination, the name of the TSM storage pool where the server initially stores the file. For backed-up and archived files, storage destinations are assigned in the backup and archive copy groups, which are within management classes. For space-managed files, storage destinations are assigned in the management class itself.
The storage pool can be a group of disk volumes, tape volumes, or optical volumes.
(4) The server stores the file in the storage pool identified as the storage destination.
TSM saves information in the TSM database about each file that it backs up, archives, or migrates. This information includes the file name, file size, file owner, management class, copy group, and location of the file in TSM server storage.
If server storage is structured in a hierarchy, TSM can later migrate the file to a different storage pool. For example, you may want to set up server storage so that TSM migrates files from a disk storage pool to tape volumes in a tape storage pool.
Figure 2. How Tivoli Storage Manager Controls Backup, Archive, and Migration
Files remain in server storage until they expire and expiration processing occurs, or until they are deleted from server storage. A file expires because of criteria set in policy or because the file is deleted from the client's file system.
For information on assigning storage destinations in copy groups and management classes, and binding management classes to client files, see Chapter 11, Implementing Policies for Client Data.
For information on managing the database, see Chapter 18, Managing the Database and Recovery Log.
For information about storage pools and storage pool volumes, see Chapter 8, Managing Storage Pools and Volumes.